Improvement in cider-mills



W. AIKIN & W. W. DRUMMOND.

Improvement in Cider-Mills.

Patented April 30, 1872.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT Qrrron.

WILLIAM AIKIN AND WILLIAM DRUMMOND, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIDER-MILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,244, dated April 30, 1872.

. an improved cider-mill, simple in construction,

convenient in use, and effective in operation, being fully under the control of the operator, and easily adjusted to operate upon large or small apples; and it consists in the construction and combination of the various parts by which the crusher-plate is operated, as hereinafter more fully described.

A represents the frame of the machine, to the upper part of which is attached the hopper B. The bottom of the hopper is formed of two inclines, b 11 the lower one I) of which inclines more steeply, and between the inner edges of which is formed the space through which the apples pass down to the grindingcylinder 0, the journals of which revolve in bearings attached to the frame A, and to which are attached teeth to break up the apples against the crusher-plate D. The crusher-plate D is pivoted at its upper edge to the sides of the hopper B, in front of the opening between the inclined parts b b of the bottom of said hopper, so that it may beswung forward to crush the apples against the toothed cylinder 0, to enable them to pass down between the said toothed cylinder 0 and the toothed concave E attached to the frame A, where the crushing, grinding, or mashing process is completed. One of the journals of the toothed cylinder 0 projects and has a fly-wheel, X, attached to it, and to the projecting end of the other journal is attached a small gear-wheel,

, F, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth of the larger gear-wheel G attached to the shaft H, which revolves in bearings attached to the frame A, and to the end of which or to the wheel G is attached a crank, I, by which the machine is operated. To the shaft H is attached an eccentric-wheel, J, which bears against a projection formed upon the rear side of the lower part of the crusher-plate D, so that at each revolution of the eccentric-wheel J the lower part of the said plate D may be forced forward to crush the apples against the toothed cylinder 0. The plate D is held back against the eccentric-wheel J by the spring K attached to the hopper B, and the free end of which is connected with the lower part of the plate D. The swing or stroke of the plate D is regulated, according to the size of the apples to be operated upon, by the eccentric or cam L attached to the rod M, which is pivoted to the sides of the hopper B. One of the ends of the rod M projects, and is bent at right angles to form a crank, N, or has a crank,

the catch-bar 0 attached to the side of the hopper B. To the lower part of the frame A is attached a plate, P, to receive the hoop or other receiver Q, into which the pomace from the grinding device falls. The platform P is made with a narrow upwardly-proj ectin g flange around its edge to prevent the juice from flowin g off except at one place, where it flows off and is caught in some suitable receiver. The hoop or vat Q is bound and strengthened by hoops, and its lower edge is notched or slit to allow the juice to escape freely. When the hoop Q is filled it is slipped forward upon the platform 1? beneath the follower R, which fits into it, and to which are attached the lower ends of two rods, S, which pass up through guides T attached to a cross-bar of the frame A, and their upper ends are attached to the ends of a cross-bar, U, which has a screwhole formed through its center to receive a screw, V, which is swiveled to the frame A, and has a hand-wheel, W, attached to its upper end, so that by turning the screw Vin one or the other direction the follower B may be raised or lowered, as required.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of an eccentric J and spring K with the pivoted crusher-plate D and with the toothed cylinder 0, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the cam or eccentric L, rod M, and lever N with the pivoted crusherplate D, and operating in connection with the eccentric'J and spring K, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM AIKIN. WILLIAM WV. DRUMMOND. Witnesses:

A. L. SCHMIDT, R. B. KYP. 

